Third iteration on a portable sharpening station

My first waterstone sharpening holder was over the sink. That was short lived given the wife’s (understandable) objections, and reading about the metal/ceramic/clay filaments ruining the garbage disposal.

My next iteration was simply a plywood board and stop, but the size of it, and my constant dipping of my blades or hand into the water bucket next to it, made the area around it still pretty messy.

This new one is modeled after a few others I’ve sound around here and elsewhere. I’ve used it a few times and the mess so far is less, and I’m hoping once I have a dedicated corner for the apartment, I can leave the stones on the holders indefinitely and not have to pack everything up each time.

This project was nailed/screwed together quickly as part of my attempt to not feel like every project needs to be a joinery lesson. My new rule is anytime I dread to work on a project because I feel like I wont have time to finish it means I’m free to use nails and screws. Be pragmatic, I’m learning.

This was the also the first time I was able to really use my old/new Japanese grooving plane.

I had to chuckle at your ‘third iteration’ as I am in the middle of the third revamping of my dust collector artery’s in my new shop. The first plan looked real good on paper, then we moved this machine over here and that one over there. Well they say the third time is the charm … but is the shop ever done? or is it forever in a state of flux??

I need to set up a new sharpening station, so when you get yours perfected, please send me a PM so I can copy it.